


Nothing Quite as Sweet

by ColdToTheBone



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, I might expand on this, M/M, Oop, but - Freeform, idk - Freeform, it didnt save like a million times, so i just edited what i had
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-08 02:06:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14684184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdToTheBone/pseuds/ColdToTheBone
Summary: Keith starts working as a barista at some local coffee shop, but dislikes talking to customers.One day, a stranger comes in and challenges him, and Keith never backs down from a challenge.





	Nothing Quite as Sweet

There was something about the distinct scent of coffee that drew Keith in. He himself did not enjoy it, he actually loathed the taste, so it wasn’t like he could make some for himself at home, because that would also be a waste whether he kept it around for a while or threw it out immediately, and Shiro could only drink so much coffee.

Shiro called him weird for it, but Keith brushed it off, because afterwards he offered Keith a job.

“Why don’t you apply to the coffee shop Mr. Smythe owns?” Shiro asked him, setting down his cup of coffee. Beans imported from Hawaii, ground himself. It was expensive, costing 4-5 times the amount it would normally cost him for a bag of good coffee from the local Aldi or Walmart, but worth it.

“Mr. Smythe? You mean the eccentric teacher you TA for?” Keith asked. “No way.”

“Come on, think about it, it could be a good opportunity to interact with people and develop skills.” Shiro pushed.

“No way, coffee shops are always a rush, and I don’t even like coffee, just the smell of it, remember?” Keith cleaned his plate off and put it in the sink.

“But you’re good at brewing a cup.” Shiro swirled his coffee around. “I think it would be good, and you’d be surrounded by the scent of coffee without actually having to drink or waste it. Sounds like a good deal, right?”

And with that, Shiro had hooked him onto getting the job- nametag and apron and everything. Not that he really needed much convincing, but the biggest problem was…

Customers.

It wasn’t like he hated people, but he just didn’t understand them and thus was wary. From the angry looks from adults in the morning to weirdly shining eyes from high school girls, it was a struggle.

The orders were the easiest part, which made him wish all he had to do was come up with some sort of fancy drink instead of man the register, but alas, life was never so easy. From all the mixed reactions and not knowing what to do when a customer got upset if he didn’t smile or was straight to the point, he grew to dread waiting at the register with a long line.

Until he came.

He was tall, just a couple inches taller than Keith himself, with brown skin and stunning blue eyes that just seemed to want to draw him in…

And the brightest smile. At least, he did, until he saw Keith, then it just turned into a wary frown, and that, Keith did not like.

 “Keeeeith.” The stranger narrowed his eyes, leaning on the counter. “You work here?”

Keith nodded, unsure. He’d been addressed like that before, but never in this tone.

“Your coffee probably tastes like shit.” The stranger huffed. Keith felt his eye twitch. He didn’t feel like giving him free coffee now, but he didn’t like his abilities being insulted like this.

“Is that what you think?” Keith said, a cordial (read: tense) smile on his face. “I don’t think it’s fair if you criticize it without trying it. I bet you just put a lot of sugar and creamer in your coffee and call it gourmet.”

If anything, the glare turned darker. Hit a nerve now, did he?

“Fine. If you insist, I’ll try your shitty coffee just to tell you how shitty it is.” The stranger said. “I’ll be waiting then.”

And with that, he walked away, back to the table where his friends sat.

“Insist my ass.” Keith grumbled.

 “Keith?” his coworker (what was her name? Hae? Kate?) called out. “We just got an order online who’ll be coming in 5 minutes- could you get started on that while you’re at it? I’ll take over here. “

“Huh- oh, yeah, I can do that.” Keith replied.

As he started to get the cups , Keith let his mind wander. He supposed it was slightly uncommon to dislike coffee but indulge in the rich smell it gave off to the point he would make it but never drink it, but it wasn’t like he didn’t have a reason.

He couldn’t recall much of his memories from when he was younger, especially of his mother, like his mother’s face, or when she disappeared, or even why, but he did remember that she had a strong unique scent to her.

Unlike his dad, who in turn reeked of smoke and cigars, his mother held the earthy scent of fresh homebrewed coffee. It wasn’t the best kind, but one of the more cheaper kinds found at gas stations and convenience stores, but to Keith it was a comforting scent, one that reminded him of home and the happy life he must have had before it just vanished.

Even now, whenever the rare morning came that his older brother woke up first and brewed his own coffee, he’d wake up with a smile on his face, the feelings from back then just as strong in the present, even if he couldn’t remember specific events, there was no way he could just forget how he felt, feels.

Then he realized he forgot to ring the stranger up. Risking a glance, he saw the stranger squabbling with his friends, as if her were being reprimanded, as well as the stranger deciding to look at him at the same time.

He ignored it. His cheeks felt a little warm at having been caught, but he ignored that too. And if he spilled some boiling hot water on himself, well that was a darn shame but he ignored that too.

 _This will be the best damn coffee he’ll ever have so he better damn appreciate it._ Keith thought, finishing the two orders. He decided to give some pity and make it a bit sweet so the stranger wouldn’t choke on straight black coffee, and so he wouldn’t have to make two cups of black coffee.

“Hey stranger!” Keith called out. “Your coffee is ready.”

The man turned towards him, narrowing his eyes, before stalking towards him.

“The name’s Lance, not stranger.” Lance said, holding his hand out. “Coffee?”

Keith passed him the cup in all its steaming glory, only for the stranger to start chugging down the hot beverage.

And then, he realized, just a moment too late, that he had handed him the wrong cup.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the best I can do for now holy shit I'm still really sleepy
> 
> I might expand on this but this will probably be a stand alone.


End file.
